


I am Still His Mother

by melody_quinn1111



Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Anorexia, Everyone Has Issues, Good Parent Talia al Ghul, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Medication, Protective Talia al Ghul, Talia al Ghul Tries, The League of Assassins (DCU), Therapy, at least we get Harley, beating the living shit out of ya
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:55:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28454217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melody_quinn1111/pseuds/melody_quinn1111
Summary: Selina finds Talia beating the shit over a guy who unintentionally put Damian in harm's way. Selina is just confused about why a mother who killed her own child is about to kill a man for him.I am disappointed in DC and their shitty way of writing Talia and I am most definitely a Talina shipper so Selina gets to watch as I fix Talia and Damian's shitty relationship. Might just be a drabble or I might add more to it if y'all like it.
Relationships: Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel, Talia al Ghul & Damian Wayne, Talia al Ghul/Selina Kyle
Comments: 8
Kudos: 81





	1. Chapter 1: The Fate of Samuel Anderson

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [An Old Lullaby](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26112415) by [FaramirsBlessing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaramirsBlessing/pseuds/FaramirsBlessing). 



Selina snuck over to Talia, who was laying down a bloodied metal pipe. The man laying at Talia’s feet had multiple wounds and was surrounded by a pile of blood. An assortment of bloodied tools sat on a table near the man, each waiting to inflict more pain on their subject. The man whimpered and groaned. A spew of pleads left the man's mouth with blood, most likely from a broken jaw. Though Selina almost wanted to laugh knowing that for Talia this man’s pleas would go ignored.

“Would you like to have a few swings at him, Ms. Kyle? He makes the prettiest noises,” Talia said turning around to face the thief. It wasn’t much of a surprise that she was noticed, Selina was one of the best thieves, but Talia knew her kind all too well. 

“Maybe later, though I am enjoying the show.” Selina found a spot on the wall, leaning against it. 

“Suit yourself.” Talia looked over the options before her, deciding on the whip. The man cowered in fear as she approached. The whip was cracked once against the ground before finding its target, again and again, and again. No mercy was held for the man, though none was expected to be given. 

After a good 10 minutes, Selina purred, “What did such a lucky man do to deserve the attention of an Al Ghul I must ask? I was sure that you most of the time liked to watch rather than do it yourself.” 

Talia faltered in her movements, the whip was wound up, blood coating the very tip. One hand snaked under the man’s chin and jerked up to face Selina. A face that could only be described as pure fear. It was one that brought a smile to Talia’s face. 

“This disgusting waste of human life decided to harm my son, though it would be easier to not forego checking all the pipelines of his school during the summer. I am sure, Ms. Kyle, that you were aware that Damian was lucky enough to live, but is currently suffering from severe burns and shattered bones in both legs.” The smile on Talia’s face never faltered but instead grew. 

Selina moved from her spot on the wall and over to the weapons laying on the table. Two different shelves, each full of tools, all perfectly aligned in a row. Selina looked over all of them before taking a small dagger and running her fingers around the tip of the blade. Selina would openly admit she was quite fond of the kid.

“Is it alright if I play too? I don’t want to intrude but it looks fun,” Selina said with a smile.

“Who am I to deny another mother of my son, even if you are not of blood?” Talia said with a very knowing face, placing down the whip and instead of grabbing a towel to wipe the blood that hit her face. 

“Bruce believes that you don’t care for the kid, though I just watch as time and time again you prove it’s not true. I must say you are either doing the worst job at not caring or Bruce can’t see anything that is two inches away from his face.” One cut it made on the man, from the top of his cheekbone down his face. Blood began to seep from the wound and down the face.

“Of course a man so self-absorbed can’t see two inches away from his face, he can’t even see one. Two would just be impossible, if it isn’t his way then it is wrong. He thinks that I would just keep Damian to myself for FUN. Oh, yes it was FUN being a single mother who had to constantly lie.”  
Selina falters. 

“Wait, then why did you lie to Bruce about Damian?” Selina inquires. The man had moved off the ground and to his knees so he could beg the new tormenter better. 

“Ra’s was after Damian before he was even born, if he was with Bruce, then he wouldn’t be able to protect himself, and I couldn’t tell myself that he would be the safest untrained, with a man that would stop at nothing to steal my son. Ra’s wasn’t the best option either, but with him, I could keep a close eye on all three of them and he would be able to kill Ra’s if it came down to it. But no, I am a horrible person because I chose what I chose and I don’t regret it,” Talia said and Selina couldn’t help but agree with her. 

“You still have some inexcusable actions, I understand talking to Bruce is like talking to an emotionally stunted man-child, but have you tried talking to Damian. Maybe try some therapy, if you try to fix the mess, then I could probably convince the kitten to do the same.” Selina resumed the torture on the man in front of her, the one that stopped pleading for his life, now to just end his misery.

“You all need therapy honestly, and I know a certain therapist that has a specialty with mentally unstable villains. Blonde-”

“No”

“-hair, blue eyes, with a very protective girlfriend. I think she could fit you in. It’s hard for her nowadays to find good work. Plus think of that relationship that could be fixed, I bet you would like to talk to your son at some time eventuality.”

“No”

“If you go to therapy, then I will set up times where you can spend time with Damian behind Bruce’s back”

“I will do it IF it is not only Bruce but the rest of those idiots, worst of all Dick.”

“Wow, someone’s been making enemies. Are you sure that you don’t want to add Alfred to that list?”

“Do we have a deal?”

“Yes”

“Great, I will make the call, Harley will be overjoyed. She hasn’t had a patient in a while, let alone two,” Selina said smirking.

“Lucky me”


	2. Chapter 2: First Day of Therapy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I was really surprised at how many people like it. First time picking back up writing in a few years and it was very surprising to see people read my works when before I couldn't get 100 views on a story, much less comments, or likes. Soooo, this is my way of saying thanks, hope y'all like another chapter.

Harley turned on the TV while waiting for her first patient. Talia would be there any minute. When Selina came to her asking if she would help her out, she’d been overjoyed. Even if she couldn’t get her license back, she could at least help the people that would allow her to. It had been hard for her to get a job at any place, even the ones that weren’t all medically. 

“Man’s body found floating in the bay, the body littered with cuts and bruises. The body is believed to be Samuel Anderson, he went missing 3 weeks ago. He worked for Gotham Gas and is believed to be the one that was in charge of the annual check-up at the schools. Police are investigating if the suspect maybe someone who was affected by the explosion at Gotham Academy only a month ago. Back to you-”. The TV was turned off with a click. Harley looked for the remote, questioning why the TV turned off so suddenly. 

Talia stood just a few feet behind the couch that Harley had plopped into, remote in hand. Just seeing the blonde made her think again about how much of a bad idea this was. Even with Harley’s help, the whole ordeal was a gamble, and one with crappy odds, and behind it, all was a woman who had absolutely nothing and everything to lose at the same time. Talia was putting so much trust in a blonde who couldn’t find a TV remote.

“Ya know I was watching that, but since you are here we can finally start. Oh, aren’t you so excited?” Harley asks, leading Talia to a spare room that has a couch and two chairs. Harley takes a seat in the one chair and gestures to Talia towards the couch. From a small coffee table next to the chair, Harley pulls out a notepad and pen.

“So excited, so excited that I feel like we should be able to skip the rest of these and you could just allow me to see my son,” Talia said in a monotone. 

Harley laughs, “What kind of doctor would I be if I cleared you after one session?”

“An alive one.”

“The correct answer was not a very good one, but don’t worry we will do more of this fill in the blank stuff later, there won’t be any wrong answers then.”

“Just start, I don’t want to have to be here any longer than I have to,” Talia said, voice filled with authority with an underlying bit of nervousness. 

“So Talia, what prompted you to seek therapy,” Harley says jumping right in.

“My son, I messed up bad and I need to fix that.”Talia had to stop herself from wanting to see what Harley was writing down about her, what little tics she was   
picking up from this conversation. 

“How have you coped in the past with different trauma? ” Talia pauses before beginning to answer, remembering that it isn’t just Harley that needs the truth, but also Damian.

“Mostly ignoring them, sometimes it leads to a lot of other stuff. Anorexia, cutting, attempting, was bad in my late teens and early twenties.” 

“Would you say any of this more recently? This will help me if I need to prescribe medication, I can know what to avoid.”

“Cutting, nothing else.”

“Have you ever had therapy before?”

“No, was always too busy and it is shamed upon in the League. Any small emotional weakness is,” Talia said knowing the effects, knowing that is why her son needs therapy, even though without it he still would be messed up.

“What was it like growing up?”

“A mixture of having to fight for everything, while being called a “Princess”. Every day, I was told I was replaceable, how I wasn’t good enough, that I needed to be loyal to stay alive. I hated forcing Damian through that. Watching him find those same insecurities in himself.”

“How are you connected to the people around you?”

“I’m not, I feel like there is a barrier holding me back from everyone around me.” 

“And our final question for the day, what would you like to accomplish with therapy?” 

“I am here because I know that if I show up and I do this I can help my son see that he needs this too. He needs all of the help to recover from the lasting effects of the League.” Harley closes her notebook and sticks the pen in the spiral bind, then setting it on top of the coffee table.

“And we are done, Talia. These are just some basic starter questions, just introducing you to the idea of how therapy will work. If any topic you feel uncomfortable with at any point in time just let me know, and we can go there when we are ready.”

Talia stops and smirks, “What no fill in the blanks? I thought that was for later.”

“I never said how far away later could be. Same time and place good for next week good for you? Maybe since you miss those fill in the blank questions, we can do a few next week.”

“Yeah, sure thing. That was not what I was meaning, just to let you know.” Talia started to stand up from the couch, waiting for Harley so they could make their way back to the living room. 

“Well, you brought them up. Maybe we will have to start with one about how if physical violence should be used on people who have indirectly harmed you, deciding if it’s good or bad.”

“Why what would you decide?” Talia asks confused as to why Harley of all people would bring this up.

“Well, I would have to say that in some cases it’s agreeable.”

“Why did you bring this up?”

Harley pauses for a long second before saying, “You killed that one guy on TV didn’t you.

“...”

“That’s not a no,” Harley says starting to laugh.

“Kitty and I.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, in all honesty, I feel like Talia would have a lot of different mental illnesses from the League, though I didn't want to go into that long list. I know that the writing for Harley in the therapy part isn't really accurate to her character but I just can't think of her in her accent while she speaks and for me, that determines if they could actually say this dialogue.

**Author's Note:**

> We love a redeemed mother, and we love her more when it's Talia.


End file.
